Youth
by casperfrench
Summary: Sequel to my previous fic 'Model Behaviour' – with a short time lapse in between. Another case/Alex & Olivia storyline – but this time I'm feeling a little omnipotent, a little malevolent... let's see what happens, shall we? - ON HIATUS -sorry!
1. One, 'Gang Aft Agley'

'Youth'

_Sequel to my previous fic 'Model Behaviour' – with a short time lapse in between. Another case/Alex & Olivia storyline – but this time I'm feeling a little omnipotent, a little malevolent... let's see what happens, shall we? I'd like to try and update once a week, nice and regular like, but not too frequent or I won't get any work done. So once a week, every Wednesday, until we're done? Let's try it. Enjoy! _

_Oh, and bonus points if you can tell me what the name of chapter one is a reference to!_

_- - -_

_Chapter ONE – Gang Aft Agley _

"_Come on sweetie... you know I love you..." The alleyway was dark, and the two sixteen-year-olds had poured out of a diner on the upper west side – only to duck into the alleyway to fool around somewhere private. The guy's hands were on the girl's thighs, she held them still to stop them travelling further. _

"_I'm not ready Brad! Besides, if my parents found out they would kill me!"_

"_Don't you love me?" Asked 'Brad', his voice filled with manipulating reproach, as he turned away and started poking the garbage bags with his toe. _

"_Oh course I love you but I am not losing my virginity in a fricking alleyway! Brad... Brad, what is it?"_

"_Call... call the police"_

"_What?" She came closer. "Oh my God! Is that..."_

"_Call 9-1-1!"_

- - -

Alex let out a gasp of pleasure as Olivia's hand slipped up her skirt, pressing on where she was hottest. She fought back, kissing, tugging, laughing, gasping as Olivia lifted her onto the edge of the desk, pushing her legs apart. What had started with lingering glances had culminated into fevered, guilty kissing in Alex's locked office.

As Olivia's finger pushed the small line of fabric aside, Alex stopped trying to gain the upper hand, and concentrated instead on not screaming out as Olivia ran her fingers up and down Alex's pussy, whispering in her ear.

"Have you been this wet for me all day?" She purred, getting a moan from Alex in return.

"Inside me, Olivia... now..." breathed Alex, her heart pounding, her mind totally blank as she felt Olivia's fingertips edge into her. She spread her legs further apart, begging for entry, desperately trying to push forward and get Olivia further _inside_ her. She heard Olivia's little gasps in her ear at the slick wetness that demanded to be seen to, and couldn't help but moan, deep in the back of her throat.

A persistent beeping brought Alex out of the deeply enjoyable feeling – and brought Olivia's hand out from between her legs.

"Fuck... fuck! Shit, shit – I have to-" Alex nodded, numbly; heart still pounding and a still totally unsatisfied feeling between her legs. Olivia didn't have to say the 'g' word. "Tonight?" Asked Olivia, looking hopeful.

"Maybe"

Almost at the door, Olivia paused, turned, licked her two wet fingertips slowly, revelling in the taste of Alex. "Mm... guess I'll have to finish that off later huh?"

Alex smiled, stepped forward and pulled Olivia in by her shirt for one more long kiss. She could taste herself in Olivia's mouth... It was such a strong, unmistakable taste – probably now noticeable on both of their breath. Alex didn't care – she desperately wanted to be able to taste Olivia now too. She would have to wait.

Olivia left, and Alex glanced at her watch. Tonight – it was already past six. Olivia probably wouldn't be done for hours. Alex sighed. Might as well get some work done...

- - -

"What is it?" Asked Olivia, walking into the squad room. Elliot tossed her his car keys, which she caught on reflex.

"Upper west side, body in an alleyway. ME says it's for us. Fin's already there, but Munch has got anthrax or something so I said we'd catch it."

"Right" Said Olivia. They were walking and talking – almost out of the building already. "Why am I driving?"

"Because I don't want to, and, if you do, I'll let you get away early so you can run the four blocks between the scene and Alex's apartment." He said, dryly.

Olivia beamed and got into the car. At the prospect of seeing Alex tonight, Elliot could say jump and she would respond with 'how high?'

- - -

"What have we got?" Asked Elliot as they flashed their badges and stepped under the yellow tape. Warner stood up from where she had been crouching next to a freshly wrapped body bag.

"Little girl, I'd guess no more than six. She was in a black trash bag that ripped. Her arm was poking out when she was found."

"Abused?" Asked Olivia, watching as the body bag was taken away by the ME's team.

"Not physically, but most probably sexually. No panties, and there were small bruises on her legs – the kind left by fingers pressing very hard on the skin."

"Don't suppose there was any id?" Said Elliot, hopefully.

"Six year olds don't carry id." Sighed Olivia, answering Elliot to save Warner the trouble. "She should come up on missing persons."

"I canvassed the diner on that side and the pizza on _that _side" Said Fin, coming into the alley and pointing to the brick walls either side. "No one saw anything unusual but there is CCTV of the street right outside. Might get something from that but it's dark – I'm not gonna hold my breath."

"Ok. You got a COD yet?" Elliot asked Warner.

"No visible bullet or stab wounds, no head trauma. I'll do a thorough exam but there's a triple homicide I need to get through first."

"Can you put a rush on it?" Olivia pleaded. Warner shrugged.

"Call me in the morning, I'll see what I can do"

"Great, in the meantime we can search missing persons." Said Olivia. Elliot looked at her.

"Why don't you go see to your... 'wife'" He said, quietly. Olivia just blinked at him.

"I could say the same to you!"

Elliot shrugged. "Kathy's visiting her sister, the kids are at sleepovers. You just worked a three day case – I saw you nap maybe once. Hey Fin!" He called. "You and me – we'll start this one."

"Sure. You heading off?" He asked Olivia, who looked at Elliot.

"Yeah. I'll be in early tomorrow to get the results from the ME."

"We'll try and get an id by then." Said Fin. "You need a ride?"

"No, thanks, I can walk it. See you" She turned and left.

"Isn't Olivia's place a bit of a long walk?" Asked Fin as he went with Elliot to the car.

"She's not going to her place" Said Elliot, shortly. Fin raised his eyebrows, feigning shock.

"You mean – Detective Benson is seeing someone?"

"Yeah, and if they don't see each other for more than a few days they both get cranky – and believe me, that's bad for all of us."

Fin looked at Elliot, who seemed to be only half joking.

"She ain't doing it just to spite you" He said. Elliot rolled his eyes, and said nothing.

- - -

"Cabot"

"How soon can you get to your apartment?"

"At this time? Twenty minutes?" Guessed Alex, leaning back in her chair. "Are you done?"

"Yeah, Elliot let me go. I'm three blocks from your place" Said Olivia, crossing Amsterdam and almost getting run over for her troubles.

"Have you got your key?" Asked Alex. Olivia smiled, remembering how – last week – Alex had, completely unprompted and without saying anything, made Olivia a copy of her apartment key and slipped it to her at work.

"Yeah. Want me to pick up something to eat?"

"Mm, yes please" Just as Alex was beginning to be filled with a new, positive energy on a long and tiring day, Liz Donnelly walked in. Without knocking, of course.

"Alex, I need you to go over the Kimley docket with me."

Alex, covering the phone mouthpiece with her hand, looked pleadingly at Donnelly. "Can it wait, Liz?" Then – when Donnelly looked unimpressed and raised one eyebrow, "The arraignment isn't for two weeks – Judge Seligman postponed it"

"And I'm on leave from Saturday, I don't want to have to do it when I get back."

It was all Alex could do to stop herself having a tantrum.

"Ok. Fine." She waited for Donnelly to leave – or at least pretend not to listen so she could finish her call, but Donnelly made no attempt to move. "I'm going to have to take a rain check on dinner" she said, quietly. "Let yourself in, have something to eat. I'll be there when I can. I'm really sorry"

"Don't worry - I understand, Alex. See you later."

"Bye..." Alex hung up, trying not to shoot Donnelly evil looks.

"Plans with your girlfriend?" Said Donnelly, entirely unphased and (Alex noticed after getting over the shock) without really caring.

"How did you..."

Donnelly snorted. "Oh Alex, _please._ Now, docket."

Alex, feeling a little butchy and a lot exposed, got out the case files and started talking Donnelly through them.


	2. Two, 'Speechless'

_Hands up who loves Wednesdays? Well you do now, because Wednesdays are officially story update days! Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming! Theoretically, if you've read it, you might as well review it, right?_

_- - -_

_Chapter TWO – Speechless _

"Morning" Came a soft voice, echoing around the beach where Alex had been trying to rest – except there were law books _everywhere_, and the sand kept turning to yellow legal briefs, and the sea into a mess of jockeying, churning blue-covered warrants. Alex opened her eyes, groggy. Her mouth was full of pillow, she rolled over onto her back; her head exploding into dizzying drumbeats of pain. She blinked, trying to dislodge the sleep from her eyes as she focused on Olivia who, smiling a soft smile of concern, was lying so very close to her. "What time did you get in?"

Alex groaned. "Donnelly wanted every detail. I was there for hours. I'm sorry. Oh, and she knows I'm gay!" She added, lifting her body up onto her elbow so she matched Olivia's position on the bed. "Said so, like it's completely obvious! Do I look gay to you?"

"You just _scream _power lesbian..." Growled Olivia. Alex smiled, kissed her, let herself be kissed back, longingly, openly.

Alex broke away. She winced, temple pounding. Her head _really _hurt.

Olivia made a sympathetic noise, stroking Alex's face and brushing her hair behind her ears. "How's your head?"

"It'll pass." Said Alex, simply. She had been getting these headaches a lot recently. First thing in the morning, but only after proper sleep – so – only after spending the night with Olivia. Alex had been an insomniac for years; the headaches were dreadful but they passed quickly, and she would take a little headache over countless restless nights any day.

"You should go see a doctor" Said Olivia, gently, as she did every morning. Alex pulled herself out of bed and ambled towards the shower, discarding her t-shirt and underwear along the way.

"It's probably just my insomnia meds getting confused because I'm sleeping more than they expect."

"Then stop taking them!"

"Ah, but then I won't sleep" Said Alex, simply, smiling a little at the paradox and leaning against the bathroom door frame, naked, watching Olivia. "Coming?" She said, with a smile and a hungry look deep in her eyes, before disappearing into the bathroom and turning on the shower. Olivia glanced at the clock. She had _just _enough time. Grinning, she got up, and followed Alex in.

- - -

"Benson"

"It's Elliot – we've got a possible id on the vic. Emma Otterly, five years old, went missing from the Brownstone day care centre on West 80th."

"Well that's five blocks from where she was dumped. How long she been missing?"

"Four days. Parents are on their way in – meet me at the ME's office."

"I'll be there in ten" Said Olivia, hanging up and looking over at Alex, who was driving.

"Where to?" Asked Alex.

"Crime scene lab please, driver" Smiled Olivia. Alex nodded, indicating the other way and heading down Central Park West.

"Ok. I'll drop you off, get to my office, deal with my messages and then I'll come by the squad room about lunchtime"

"Are you going to bring me lunch?"

"Demanding!" Teased Alex in mock outrage. Of course she was planning to bring Olivia lunch – they both knew it. Olivia could expect a freshly made, high quality sandwich from Alex's favourite deli in a brown paper bag, and a nice hot coffee with it. She liked it when Alex came by the squad room about lunchtime; it meant she didn't forget to eat.

Plus she got to see Alex, which was always a good thing.

- - -

"We're backlogged like anything so I'll make this quick" Said Warner, whisking Elliot and Olivia into the examination room the second they got there.

"How's the triple homicide?" Asked Elliot, almost getting run over by a swiftly moving, blue sheet covered body on a gurney.

"Nothing sexual about it so don't ask" she said, uncovering the head of the little girl. "She wasn't murdered. Your victim died from a sudden, violent asthma attack. The respiratory tract had a lot of thick grey fibres in it – old carpet or similar. That was what probably set off the attack; exacerbated by the acute viral nasopharyngitis she was suffering from." Elliot and Olivia exchanged a glance. "The common cold." Explained Warner.

"So whoever it was didn't mean for her to die?" Asked Olivia.

"Exactly. And it's possible that he tried to save her, but I think your perp thought she was choking on something."

"How d'you figure that?" Said Elliot, completely lost.

"Bottom ribs were fractured. Someone with poor medical knowledge performed the Heimlich manoeuvre – badly."

"Ok. What about the rape kit?"

"Several rapists over the few days since her hymen was ripped."

"What makes you say that?"

"Different bruising patterns" said Warner, simply. "Different pressure in different places. Similar to gang rape victims – only this case is far less violent. Now, as for DNA. We've got very small traces of between six and nine different DNA strands – they're all such weak samples and so many that there's a high risk of contamination. We're doing the best we can to separate them."

"Six to nine?" Repeated Elliot. "Why so weak samples – what does that mean?"

"It means they didn't ejaculate, or they pulled out before they did, or that they washed her out very well afterwards. The skin was red and there were traces of strong soaps, so that's a definite possibility."

"I didn't know you could wash out DNA like that..." Said Olivia.

"You can make it very hard to get an accurate sample. We're doing our best."

"Ok." Said Olivia, slowly. "The parents are coming to id her."

"I'll hide the other bodies" Replied Warner – dryly – glancing at another gurney, where a thin blue sheet covered an axe-shaped extrusion from a man shaped body.

"Anything from the bag she was found in?" Asked Elliot.

"A few partials. I've got someone trying to make a composite to run a full print. We'll let you know if there's a hit. But the bag itself is quite interesting. It's not your average black trash bag, it's made of a recycled low density polyethylene, specially made to be environmentally friendly. Used by a lot fewer places than the usual high-pressure treated material."

"So our perp is environmentally concious. Great." Remarked Elliot. Olivia's cell phone went off in her pocket.

"Benson... ok." She hung up. "Parents are here."

Warner nodded. "I'll set up. Bring them round to the viewing window when they're ready."

- - -

"Mr and Mrs Otterly, I'm Detective Benson, this is my partner Detective Stabler. Thank you for coming down." Said Olivia, shaking the hands of the middle aged couple, who were holding onto each other, looking utterly distraught.

"Detectives..." The man croaked. "You may have found our daughter?"

"We need you to make a positive id. I understand how hard this must be for you, but we really need to be sure." Said Elliot, as gently as possible.

"I can't!" The woman burst out, clutching onto her husband.

"I'll go." He said. Elliot nodded and led him out the to viewing room. Olivia guided Mrs Otterly to a chair, sat with her.

"Mrs Otterly, when did you report Emma missing?"

"Monday, when I came to pick her up from day care but she wasn't there."

"Brownstone?"

"Yes. There are a lot of children, they were quite short staffed... Emma just... disappeared. She was so looking forward to starting her new school... we went to have a tour last week. The Anderson School..." Olivia nodded, encouragingly.

"Has anyone paid any undue attention to Emma lately? Any family or friends who spend a lot of time with her?"

"You don't think anyone in the family could have done it?"

"We don't know" Said Olivia, honestly. "We have to explore every possibility."

"No. No, I don't think so. The family all live out of state... She's such a pretty girl, friendly. People like to talk to her. Last week, at the school, our student guide talked to us about her... he was very mature, asked us where she went to day care, things like that."

"Did you get his name?"

"No." She shook her head. "Forget it, that boy must be seventh grade. He was only being friendly. There is one thing..." She said, slowly. "Portitia – a friend from up state – mentioned something about the kidnap of a child, Emma's age, from a day care centre. The child turned up a week later. Could they be connected?"

"We'll check it out" Reassured Olivia. "Anything else you think of, please, call me" She said, handing the woman her card as she heard footsteps coming up to the room. The door opened, and the man's white face and hollow eyes told her everything. The woman's tears brimmed over, holding onto her husband so as to not fall to her knees. Olivia and Elliot waited patiently, then gently escorted the couple out.

- - -

"Portitia Woolcott?" Asked Elliot, startling the woman who was peering over her fence at the seemingly empty cul-de-sac.

"Yes?" Portitia Woolcott gasped as Elliot and Olivia flashed their badges. "Put those away!" She hissed. "The neighbours will gossip!" Elliot glanced around the street. Maybe it was a trick of the light, but several of the net curtains seemed to flicker suggestively – twitched shut but the furtive neighbourhood spies. He caught Olivia's eye, and smiled, bemused.

"We just wanted to ask you about the kidnap you seem to know quite a lot about" He said, taking out his trusty notebook.

"Well about time! Just because the child has been found does not make everything ok! Little Nina Larter from two streets away. Afterwards her parents whisked her away, they're staying with family in Tulsa"

"What happened to Nina?"

"Someone snatched her right after day care! Police got no where, or so I heard, then the girl was found a week later at a bus stop just out of town." She leaned forward, eyes ablaze at the prospect of fresh gossip. "Have you got a lead?"

"We're just asking questions. Thank you Mrs Woolcott." Said Elliot, quickly, leaving with Olivia.

- - -

"So." Said Elliot, as the two drove back to the precinct.

"So?"

"How's Alex?"

There was something in his tone that made Olivia a little uncomfortable – something she rarely felt when with her partner.

"She's fine. We're fine. How's Kathy?"

"She's visiting a sister."

"Right, right. You said." Olivia looked over at Elliot, trying to read him, but he was focusing on the road.

"How long has it been?" He asked.

"A few months." She smiled at the memory. "Fin interrupted our first nice date with the call about that rape-homicide under the west side highway."

"That was a date with Alex?"

"Yeah. We had started spending more and more time together and then... we just decided to go for it, I guess. Why all the questions?"

Elliot didn't respond. Olivia was about to give up and look out the window, when he spoke.

"I don't think she's right for you."

"What?"

"She's a lawyer. Engrossed in her work, no time for anything or anyone. I'll bet she's always cancelling because of work."

Olivia blinked, taken aback and _hurt _by what Elliot was saying. She knew Elliot had a natural overly-protective nature, but this was ridiculous.

"And so am I! Sometimes we have to cancel, so what? You cancel on Kathy more than any of us!"

"That's different. I've been married seventeen years."

"So what? Shit, El... Why are you being like this?"

"I need you focused Olivia. That's all." He said nothing the rest of the trip, and Olivia wasn't going to bother saying anything either.


	3. Three, 'School'

_See, Wednesdays come around quick don't they!_

_- - - _

_Chapter THREE – School _

Having phoned Fin from the car and bringing him up to speed, Olivia wasn't surprised to find the squad room so busy. Feeling Elliot approach behind her, she headed straight for the coffee machine so as to avoid his eye, and poured herself a nasty, stale coffee.

"Looked up your Nina Larter kidnap case" Said Fin, as she sat down. "Same MO – except this time, little Emma died before she could be returned"

"Our perp returns them?" Asked Cragen, nonplussed.

"Yeah, and it's not just those two. There have been six cases that fit the MO in the last six months" Said Fin as he stuck pins in the map on the evidence board. "All in different precincts, all seemed like opportunity grabs so no one thought to check the system. It's not exactly a very specific MO. Every time, victim is returned, so the case just falls to the bottom of the pile."

"How's it going?" Olivia looked up, saw Alex standing behind her, holding a brown paper bag and a cup of coffee. She looked gorgeous. Olivia let her eyes wander, smiling as Alex perched on the edge of her desk. Elliot fixed his eyes on the evidence board, crossing his arms.

"We'll fill you in." Said Cragen, putting emphasis on the 'we' but sitting down nonetheless. "Detective Tutuola?" He said, expectantly. Fin looked around at the Captain, the detectives and Alex, who were all watching him, and sighed. Alex stifled a laugh, handing Olivia the bag and the coffee.

"Emma Otterly, five years old, found dumped in a trash bag in an alleyway off Columbus Avenue, between a pizza place and the 'Funky Diner'" He began, pointing to the relevant photos.

"Funky diner?" Said Alex. "I've been there – it's near my apartment. Trust me, the only thing that's funky is the food."

"What was ADA Alexandra Cabot doing in a cheap diner on the upper west side?" Asked Elliot, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head. Olivia shot him a look. She seemed to be the only one who had sensed the tiny barb in his words.

"It was a date. It ended quickly" Replied Alex, with the ghost of a smile.

"'Scuse me?" Said Fin, feigning hurt at the interruption. "She was jacked from a day care centre on West 80th, died two days later – accidentally"

"Accidentally?" Repeated Alex.

"Asthma attack" Explained Olivia.

"Well that takes murder 1 off the table. What else?"

"Whole bunch of kids have gone missing, only to turn up a few days later. Perp probably kidnaps them, rapes them-"

"And shares with his friends" Added Olivia, darkly.

"Then lets them go." Continued Fin.

"We thinking kiddie prostitution gang?" Asked Cragen. The team shrugged.

"Any suspects?" Tried Alex.

"I went through the CCTV from the street but all I got was a guy with his hood up and a big black bag, but the picture's too dark and fuzzy to do anything with" Said Fin. "I asked at the diner and pizza place, they said they get a lot of kids as customers"

"Sure – there's a school close by." Said Alex. Olivia leaned forward, suddenly.

"What school?" She asked, taking out her notes, flicking back. "The Anderson School?"

"I think so. It's on west 84th, near a nice little Thai place." Elliot raised an eyebrow sardonically. "I live like six blocks away and I can't cook!" Said Alex in defence. A comment on how much she liked to 'eat out' was on the tip of her tongue, but Olivia leaned forward before she had a chance to say it.

"Emma's mother told me they had gone to look round the Anderson school with Emma the week before she went missing. Said one kid paid special interest in her" Said Olivia, reading from her notes. Cragen nodded, looking at Olivia.

"Time for school."

- - -

In the end, after some weak excuses behind Captain's back from Olivia and Elliot (Olivia didn't want another friendly in-car conversation with her partner, and he wasn't going to push it), Fin had offered to go to the school. Elliot had protested against leaving Olivia behind (because of Alex, presumably), so she had gone with Fin, leaving Elliot in the squad room. Olivia was perfectly aware that Alex would still be sitting at Olivia's desk doing some work – right opposite Elliot – but she wasn't quite sure why that should make her a little bit uncomfortable. Elliot had been acting ratty lately – not like him at all – but Olivia had no idea why he would suddenly get at her and Alex.

The Anderson School, which looked like any old 1960s public school building from the outside, was surprisingly clean and tastefully decorated inside. There was student artwork on the walls of a very high standard, simple white walls and a shiny linoleum floor. Plaques on the wall right opposite the entrance area proclaimed it the "Best Public School in NY" for 2004, 2006 and 2007.

"Wonder what went wrong in '05..." Muttered Fin, to himself, as Olivia asked the woman in the main office where they could find the principal. Looking along the wall in front of him, Fin saw athletic awards, academic awards, arts awards, neatly framed notes of "commendation for exceptionally high achieving students"... It was making Odafin Tutuola feel like an underachieving hood rat. Turning away, he saw Olivia looking at the same, unashamedly boastful display. She nodded to one notice on the wall, framed in the same understated black wood.

"The green award for first school to use all recycled trash bags..." He read. "Like the one our vic was found in, you reckon?"

"Maybe. We'll take a sample for the lab."

"You find the principal?" Asked Fin. Olivia looked beyond him, down the corridor.

"I think he found us" She muttered, indicating the man in the well-fitting, inexpensive but smart suit (no tie, and a casually opened top button of course), who was striding towards them confidently – arm outstretched in greeting – as if he owned the place. Which, had it been a private institution, he probably would.

"Detectives. I was called – how can I help you?"

"Detective Tutuola, this is detective Benson." Said Fin, shaking the offered hand and looking at the award wall. "Pretty impressive display."

"Thank you. I am immensely proud of my students. Brian Culot – I'm the principal here at Anderson."

"We'd never have guessed." Said Olivia, with a small courteous smile. Brian Culot smiled warmly back at her.

"What is it that seems to be the problem? Do you mind if we walk and talk?"

The corridors, like the entrance area, were neat and clean. No graffiti on the lockers, more artwork, and classrooms that, through the windowed doors, seemed to be full of hard working students. Olivia raised and eyebrow at Fin, and the bemused look was returned. It was a little twilight-zone, but then again, best school in New York for the past few years – with the exception of 2005 that is.

"We need to locate the student who took some prospective parents – namely the Otterlys and their five year old daughter around the school last week." Said Fin, hoping but not really expecting the man to give them a name, location and DNA sample just like that.

"Ok..." Said the principal, slowly. No such luck then. "Do you have a name?"

"No." Olivia gave the short and true answer.

"What is this person like? I maintain as close a relationship as I can with my students."

"All of them?"

"All three hundred and six of them." He said, proudly. "I talk to every student on a one-to-one basis at least once a semester – more if necessary"

"You're kidding?" Said Olivia, stopping.

"Five students a day, six on Fridays, five minutes each. It's worth it detectives, believe me."

"We're looking for a boy in the 7th grade, very mature for his age" She said, still amazed at the man's commitment. Maybe they could get Mrs Otterly to sit down with a sketch artist, or get yearbook photos. Mind you, the woman was probably still quite distraught, and Olivia always felt so guilty disturbing the grieving families if there was another way.

"I'd like to think that all of my students are mature." He said. "We have very high standards – the highest in Manhattan."

"I thought this was a _public _school" Said Fin, sceptically.

"Highest in everything except bank balance then. We have hundreds of applicants each year, they look around, if they like it – and most of them do – they apply. If they meet the academic standards _then_ I meet them. I'll check that name you gave – Otterly? And see if I can find anything."

The bell rang for a change in lessons, and students began to pour out of the classrooms. They were all grade eight or under, but they didn't run or push. They were lively and excited, but not aggressive. Most called hellos to the principal, and he responded to each by name.

Olivia's attention was caught by a poster on the wall – it advertised the "First Aid Club!". Every Thursday lunchtime. There was a list too, with all the weeks and the activities listed. There was a red tick next to the completed weeks, and the latest tick was by "Week four: The Heimlich!"

She turned to ask the principal about who ran the club, and where they could get the names of students, when a bizarre exchange seemed to take place almost in slow motion before her eyes.

A boy came through the crowd, shoulders hunched, moving quickly, hood up. Culot, chuckling, reached out. "No hoods or hats in school!" He said, pulling the hood from the boy's head. The boy stared at the principal for a long second – principal frowning with a confused look on his face. Olivia moved closer, something was up. "You don't go here..." He said, slowly. Fin stepped forward, gold shield visible on his lapel – the boy took one look and bolted, Fin giving chase and Olivia right behind him.

"Police, freeze!" Shouted Fin, identifying himself, but the boy kept running. The crowd parted for Fin and Olivia, but the boy was quick on his feet. He bolted down an empty corridor – trainers squeaking on the clean floor – Fin and Olivia close on his tail. Leaping over a "Caution: Wet floor" sign, the boy ran, then slipped, and slid six feet down the corridor on his side. Fin caught up with him, hauled the boy to his feet. Olivia slowed. Her boots (as Alex had observed that very morning) were hot first and practical second – and she wasn't about to go down the corridor on her ass too.

"What's your name?" Demanded Fin. Olivia attempted to wave away the gathering crowd of kids. Most of them had their phones out already. This was so going on youtube.

"Martin. Martin Vermani" He was an Italian looking kid, close cropped dark hair, olive skin and muscles that came from an entire school career playing sports. Track probably, judging by his speed down the corridor. Olivia looked him up and down. He was definitely older than eighth grade.

"How old are you Martin?" She asked.

"Sixteen."

"What you doing in middle school then?" Said Fin. "We're going to take you down to the station and have a little chat about a five year old girl, ok?"

Martin let out a torrent of swearwords that, judging by the confused faces on most of the kids and the miserable expression on the principal's, were going to have to be explained. Fin bundled Martin through the crowd and out to the car.

"Give me a call if you find anything." Instructed Olivia, handing her card to the principal, very much aware that now every phone in the crowded corridor was looking at her, their lenses like a sea of black glass dots. "And I'm going to take a sample of your trash bags. Are they the same throughout the school?" Culot nodded, numbly. Obviously – in the best school in New York – the police didn't often interrupt by hauling kids down to the precinct. "Thanks for your time, sorry for the... distraction." She said, giving her best cop smile and leaving very, very quickly.

The phones were still trained on her as she went.


	4. Four, 'Fireworks'

_Chapter Four – Fireworks_

Elliot couldn't concentrate. He was supposed to be going through files on missing five year olds, or paedophile rap sheets or something useful and important, but something about having a perfectly chipper, work-engaged Alex making notes right opposite irked him.

"Don't you have an office to do that in?" He asked, suddenly. Alex paused, looked up. Elliot wasn't meeting her eye.

"Actually I'm hiding from Donnelly. I'm not disturbing you am I?" She asked, with genuine concern, although she couldn't see why there would be a problem.

"Yeah – you are. I'm trying to work." Alex, thinking he was joking, let out a laugh. She missed the look on Elliot's face, or else she might have stopped teasing.

"Elliot, I've seen you do five minutes work – the rest of the time you've been getting coffee or pacing around!" She said, lightly. Elliot snapped his head up, and Alex suddenly noticed the severely pissed-off look written all over his face.

"Why don't you just BACK OFF" He ordered. Ales raised her eyebrows. She didn't know which side of the bed Elliot had gotten up from, but it was definitely the wrong side. She wasn't about to back down – something in his tone was deeply threatening, and Alex wasn't having it.

"I'm not doing anything, so what's your problem, Stabler?" She said, icily. Elliot jumped up from his chair, came very close to Alex, she stood up too – her heart pounding just a little faster. Alex stood her ground. She had no fears of confrontation, and she knew Elliot would rather die than back down, so as far as she was concerned, this was about to be sorted out with loaded words.

"What do you want from Olivia, huh?" He hissed. Alex blinked. She hadn't been expecting that.

"What's it to you?" She replied, defensively.

"I was here first. Her first commitment is to her job, not to you"

Alex let out a low laugh. "Jealous, Detective?" She didn't really think so, but it was sure to rile him up. How dare he accuse her of interfering with Olivia's job like this? Like she would ever do _anything _that went against what Olivia wanted. "For one thing you're married, and believe me, you're hardly her type." She added. Elliot looked like he might hit her, instead, he took a step back and raised his voice.

"Does it make you feel _good_, councillor, messing with a team by screwing a detective?" Alex's eyes flickered. He had her beat – he knew Alex and Olivia were trying to keep it quiet, and here he was, shouting it to the room. At that moment, Cragen stormed out of his office, into the silent, crackling room, and Alex heard a voice behind her.

"What's going on?"

It was Olivia.

Alex mentally swore. She was surrounded – Elliot right in front of her, Olivia at the door, and Cragen... The captain had a face of thunder. He had obviously heard the whole thing, as had every other detective and officer in the room.

"Detective, councillor, if you have something to work out we can do it in my office, NOW." Cragen's voice matched his face. Alex frowned – she didn't feel like being in Elliot 'UnStabler's company for a second longer than necessary.

"No need Captain, I'm done." She picked up her stuff and walked straight out, past Olivia, who was looking at Alex, then Elliot, then back to a swiftly disappearing Alex.

"You going to just let her walk out?" Accused Elliot, rounding on the Captain, who stared him down.

"It's not up to me if Cabot stays or goes but YOU, Elliot – your ass is mine. Office. Now." He said, not moving until Elliot started towards his office. The second the door had closed, Olivia whirled round to Fin, who looked exactly how she felt – that they had just caught the end of something distinctly ominous.

"Cover for me – I have to go after her" She said to Fin, who looked at her carefully, as if something was falling into place.

"Elliot just said something about Alex sleeping with a detective. It's not me, it's definitely not him, and I got the feeling it ain't Munch."

Olivia didn't respond, just looked him in the eyes briefly, telling him all he needed to know. Then she tore out after Alex.

- - -

She caught up with Alex right outside the precinct. The sun was out, but the high buildings either side kept the warmth from seeping into the street.

"Alex!" She shouted, out of breath – not so much from sprinting down the stairs but from the way her heart was pounding. "Alex" she grabbed Alex's arm, and Alex slowed and turned to face her. "What's going on? What happened – what..." She indicated back to the precinct. "Baby." Olivia didn't use terms of endearment often – it wasn't her style – but right now it didn't sound forced, only caring and concerned. "Tell me. What's going on?"

"I'm removing myself from a volatile situation." Stated Alex, sounding like step one from an anger management leaflet. She bit her tongue on her next remark – a snide comment about Elliot's temper issues. She was still breathing heavily, but Alex had calmed down enough to know not to keep at it.

"Alex..." Said Olivia gently, then, surprising Alex, Olivia pulled her into a hug. Olivia wasn't the hugging type – especially not twenty yards from the precinct – but Alex welcomed the warmth that came with the physical contact. "Did he say something about us?" She asked, softly. Alex made a small 'yes' sound, causing Olivia to sigh, kiss Alex's hair lightly. Olivia was being so gentle, so wonderfully caring, that Alex felt her anger fuelled adrenaline simply seep away from her so very quickly.

"It's ok, I'm fine." She said, calmly, once Olivia had let go. "I didn't mean for it to get out of hand."

"I know" Said Olivia, surprised that Alex would even think that she placed any blame on Alex. "I don't know what's up with Elliot. I'm sure there's something – he's not usually like this..." She wasn't making excuses for the sake of it, she really did think there was something up, "but whatever it is, he has no right to take it out on you. Ok?"

Alex nodded, swallowing and looking away.

"Hey, hey..." Said Olivia gently, cupping Alex's face with her hands. "I love you" She said, quickly.

Alex took a deep breath. Really, that was all she needed to hear.

"I love you too." She cleared her throat. "I... am... going to get a coffee, take my time drinking it, then get back to my office. Tell Cragen I understand if he wants to see me, and that I'll be on my cell phone. If you need a warrant or anything like that, you or Fin come and see me."

Olivia nodded, showing she understood all instructions given. "I'm going to talk to Elliot – not from you." She added quickly, seeing the look on Alex's face that obviously wanted nothing to do with it. "But from me. He's just a detective to you, but he's my partner."

Elliot was more than 'just a detective' to Alex if he meant anything at all to Olivia, and they both knew it, but Alex understood the sentiment.

"Ok. See you later." Alex squeezed Olivia's hand briefly, and watched as Olivia went back into the precinct.


	5. Five, 'Mafia'

_Hey hey, it's Wednesday again! Thanks for the reviews, sorry if I haven't replied to all of them, but I've had (and still have) a ton of exams. But, I promised every Wednesday, regular as clockwork, so here you go... _

- - -

_Chapter FIVE – Mafia?_

In the five minutes that had elapsed since the Alex versus Elliot showdown, everyone had gotten straight back to work. Or, at least pretending to. Olivia felt a fair few pairs of eyes on her as she walked back in, but she ignored them, and went straight to Fin who was sitting at his desk twiddling his thumbs and the air of a quiet observer.

"Hey," She said, touching him on the shoulder and sitting in the chair next to him. "Where's the kid?"

"Martin Vermani? He's in interrogation one, where we left him. Was going to wail 'till Dad's done."

"Elliot still in there?" Fin nodded in reply.

"I think they're just talking. Haven't heard any more fireworks anyway." He looked at her. "Level with me Liv. I'm not going to judge." It wasn't phrased as a request, but Olivia knew the option to shake her head and get back to work was there. She didn't though. Fin deserved more than that.

"Remember that time I showed up at the scene – under the west side highway – in that dress?" Fin smiled – a smile that split his face and showed his teeth. He chuckled. Olivia mentally rolled her eyes. He remembered then.

"How could I forget?" He grinned.

"Alex had asked me out to dinner. We had started going for lunch, drinks after work, and then she just... asked me on a date. A proper date."

Fin's face fell slightly.

"You mean I interrupted you?" He asked. Olivia nodded. "Sorry..." He mumbled.

"It's ok. She understands, you know? And I understand her work hours and stuff so..."

"S'long as you're happy, you got my blessing. Why's Elliot so..." He couldn't find the adjective, but Olivia didn't need it.

"I have no idea."

Cragen came out of his office, closing the door sharply behind him. Olivia caught a glimpse of Elliot, sitting down in a chair, looking fairly calm although she couldn't be sure. She didn't bother to pretend to be working, and neither did Fin, they just watched the Captain as he came towards them.

"Cabot coming back?" He asked Olivia directly.

"She said if you want to see her she's on her cell, and to call if we need her for the case." She replied. Cragen nodded. "What about Elliot?" She asked.

"You and Fin take the lead on this one. Elliot's got plenty of other open cases he can focus on, and Munch can help him when he gets back. This is what's best for the squad at this moment, so I don't want to hear any arguments. Clear?" He looked to each of them in turn for a nod, before continuing. "Where's the kid you picked up at the school?"

"Interrogation one." Said Fin.

"Parents here?" Fin shook his head. "He begged us not to call them. Might make him cooperate if we wait before we do."

"I don't care – if he did it I'm calling more than just his parents" Commented Olivia.

"We don't know if he did do it, so let's see what he has to say." Said Cragen. Olivia and Fin nodded, and left for the interrogation room.

- - -

"Martin," Started Olivia, walking into the room with Fin and sitting down opposite the kid.

"Did you call my parents?" He asked, immediately.

"No," She said, "so you need to help us out right now. What were you doing at the Anderson school? You go to... Pace High School, right?" She said, reading from a file. Martin's head snapped up, worried.

"We pulled your file Martin. We know everything about you and we ain't here to mess around. What were you doing at that school." Said Fin, clear and demanding in tone.

"I had to go see someone about some stuff."

"You wanna be more specific?" Fin – again, it wasn't a question.

"Someone was going to pay me."

"For what?"

Martin leaned forward. "Everything I say here is off the record. I don't do anything illegal – usually – but a lot of people depend on me for my services"

"What services?" Asked Olivia, at a loss as to what a sixteen-year-old boy could provide in the way of 'services' – and she was fairly sure it wasn't sexual.

"I get things done. I fix things. You need to make it so that you were studying in the library at six pm on Monday? I make that happen. You need a doctors note, answers to the test you've got next period, a fire drill at a specific time, I can get you that."

Olivia laughed. "A regular classroom mafia!"

"Hey!" Martin snapped, frowning angrily. "I'm Italian! You don't joke about stuff like that! I'm essential for a lot of kids. May not seem like much to you, but that's what it is. And I try to keep my nose clean, ok?"

"Ok." Olivia leant forward. "We found a body, Martin. A little girl. There were some fingerprints on the bag. Give us your prints."

He sighed.

"No need. A kid rang me up. Heard of me through referral – I didn't ask. Told me to meet him at the school, they had a problem needed to be dealt with."

"They?"

"Yeah. He said they, but I only ever spoke to him. Wait – what are you going to do to me after I tell you this?"

Olivia and Fin exchanged glances. Martin's face demanded the truth.

"We're gonna charge you with perverting the course of justice." Said Fin, simply.

"Shit."

"Yeah."

"Can I call a lawyer?"

"You call a lawyer and we call your parents. So talk to us now and we'll see what we can do. Either way, you're getting into some trouble. Help us now and it'll be better later." Said Fin, urging the kid to trust them.

Martin silently considered his options.

"Alright. So I go, and this guy's there, and he's in the basement. He's a kid like, thirteen, fourteen, and there's this little girl on the floor."

"This kid got a name?"

"Thomas. He didn't give a last name. He said he needed to get rid of the body – like he expected me to do it! He was really nervous, really scared like."

"What did you do?" Probed Olivia.

"At first I said no way, but the guy offered me three hundred dollars. Three hundred! I'm in a family of twelve, detectives. And extra cash I make goes into the college fund or the bail money jar for my brothers, so we take what we can."

"Then what?"

"I got a bag. Took her away. Dumped her in an alleyway, it was real close – 'cause she was so heavy, and I didn't like carrying her like that. It wasn't right."

"So why'd you do it?" Sighed Olivia. Martin looked straight at her.

"I usually make thirty dollars getting test answers. This was an actual chance to help."

Olivia and Fin looked at each other. She nodded at Martin.

"We'll talk to the DA, tell them you've been cooperative. But Martin," She said, on her way to the door, "I think you might have to tell your parents."

He groaned. "It's not them I'm worried about. My grandmother is going to _kill _me!"


	6. Six, 'Lunch'

_Greetings all Wednesday lovers! Thanks so much for the reviews/alerts/favourite stories – but you know what? I wouldn't say no to more... hit that button. Go on. Also, no more exams for me! So I can work at this until the proverbial cows come home. Enjoy!_

- - -

_Chapter SIX – Lunch_

Olivia rapped her knuckles on the banister to the mezzanine above the squad room floor. There was no door, but Elliot looked so deep in thought on the small sofa up there that she felt she should give some sort of warning.

Cragen had rung up Alex, spent a long twenty minutes talking to her in a low voice behind his closed office door, and she had agreed to come see Martin Vermani; tell him about the laws he had unwittingly broken and to talk to his parents. Vermani was facing three years in juvie on disposal of evidence – _if _he was lucky enough to be tried as a child, but Olivia was pretty sure that he was just a kid who had bitten off a lot more than he knew how to chew – and Cragen agreed. Their main concern was finding this Thomas kid, but first...

"Elliot" She said, firmly.

"What?"

"Don't be like that. What's up?"

"I lost my temper at your girlfriend – if that's what she calls herself – I let the entire squad room know something you wanted to keep quiet and I pissed you off so, really, Olivia," his voice was low and gravelly, as if he had just woken up from a rough night's sleep, "why do you care?"

"I can go. I can turn around and walk away..." She trailed off, hoping for a 'no, don't!', but none came so she went on. "But Jesus El, I know you. I know you wouldn't be acting like such an asshole unless there was something up."

There was a long pause. Olivia didn't want to give up and walk away, but she wasn't sure how much more she could do.

"Kathy... has gone to stay with her sister. Indefinitely. Until I... 'work out what's important to me', she said. So, my marriage – the most important thing in my life, or so I thought... the thing that defines me... I messed it up."

"Oh El..." Said Olivia, quietly.

"So I guess I'm just acting like some jealous piece of shit, ripping into you and Alex because you two have broken through the barriers and made a real connection. Congratulations." He said, flatly. Olivia sighed.

"Elliot, you could have talked to me. I get how this must be difficult for you, and I'm here to help you with that – I am. But you can't just take it out on me, or on my relationship – and especially not on Alex! That's not fair on her. I'll tell her to leave you be, but you've got to back off too, ok?"

There was a brief second when Elliot looked like he might snap back, lash out again, but he didn't.

"Yeah." He conceded. "You're right."

"And _talk to me_ if you need to! We can get a beer and just talk, ok?"

He nodded. "Captain's taken me off this case unless you need help so... give me a shout if you do."

"Ok." She smiled at her partner, laying a hand on his arm, briefly, before getting up and leaving him to it. She walked down the stairs and went to Alex, who had just gotten there and was waiting by Olivia's desk.

"Liv" Said Alex, quietly, glancing up to where the back of Elliot's head was just visible.

"Hey, did you talk to Martin?"

"We just finished. He's with his lawyer and his parents."

"Is he going to be charged?"

"Probably" Replied Alex, matter-of-factly. "It's up to the DA."

"Alex, he's probably caught up in something else, he didn't know what he was doing!"

"He accepted three hundred dollars to get rid of the body of a little girl! That's wrong, no matter how much he was involved in her death."

Olivia sighed. "Ok, fine." She dropped her voice. "I just spoke to Elliot... he's going through some stuff. I told him it wasn't fair to take it out on you, but I think it would be best if the two of you just stayed out of each other's way."

Alex opened her mouth to protest – she wasn't as short tempered or aggressive as Elliot, but then again, she _was_ fiery, and she didn't take to backing down or apologising much. Olivia was probably right.

"Mm." She said, finally. "Ok. I'm taking a couple of hours off to sort out a few things, but I'll be back later to see where you are with this other kid." She smiled warmly, overcompensating for the sudden desperation she had to _feel _Olivia, to reach out and touch her skin. "I love you" She mouthed instead, hoping it would suffice.

"I love you too" Said Olivia, quietly. She was surprised – Alex usually only whispered the words late at night, after (or during) their making love, when they were both lying there, tangled in each other. She never said it during the day, never at work. Until today.

Alex, still desperately wanting to feel the real Olivia pressed up against her, forced herself to break away. She walked out of the squad room quickly, completely unaware that Elliot was now standing up on the mezzanine, hands on the railing, watching her go. He looked down at Olivia, who watched Alex leave – her eyes still on the doors even after Alex had disappeared from view – ran a hand through her hair, and went to find Fin.

- - -

Alex knocked on George's glass office door, and he looked up from the newspaper he had been leaning over. He waved her in, and she closed the door softly behind her.

"You know they're saying that siblings are the cause for a child's bad grades?" He mused out loud. Alex made a non-committal noise of agreement, hovering slightly. George looked at her properly. "What is it?"

"I need a favour, George" She said, sitting down opposite him.

"Sure Alex, anything I can do..." He replied, concerned.

"I need a referral."

"For yourself?" She nodded. He leaned forward, about to ask what the problem was, before thinking better of it. "You don't have to talk to me – I can find you someone privately, but as I'm here…"

"I just wanted to check in with a therapist, make sure I'm… ok." She mumbled, quietly.

"What are you taking?"

"Mainly lorazepam for the anxiety, and zolpidem for the insomnia. Prozac too if I need it."

George nodded; in the time he'd known Alex, she had tried therapy (which had worked the few times she'd not had to cancel), medication (which usually worked, depending on what she was taking and how much of it), and any number of combinations of the two. There wasn't anything seriously wrong with her – he was willing to bet every other lawyer, doctor or accountant in the state was just as bad if not worse – but George liked to keep an eye on his friends.

"Any side effects?" He asked her, leaning forward and mentally taking notes.

"Occasional nausea and really bad headaches in the morning if I've slept more than four hours. Oh, and I can't drink." She added, sounding disappointed.

"Any changes since Olivia?" he hesitated; perhaps that was too much. "Sorry Alex – we don't have to do this now. I can refer you to someone you don't know if you don't want to talk to me about it."

"No, no. Then I'd have to explain it all again..." Plus, talking to George was going to be a hell of a lot cheaper than having to pay a 10 cancellation fee every time something else came up. "When I'm with Olivia I can sleep, and that is... really, really nice. But I get headaches, and I need to take the lorazepam like clockwork to keep myself calm... sometimes I get really worried about her, if she's doing something dangerous. Shit... a few weeks ago, they had to go in, guns blazing, straight into the home of a violent convicted rapist. Times like that and I have to take a dozen Prozac just to get out of the door."

There was a pause.

"You shouldn't take a dozen Prozac, Alex."

"Exaggeration." She said, quickly, but George wasn't sure how far from the truth it was. "I just want to work out what I need to be taking, and only take the bare minimum."

"Ok. Empty your pockets, bag. All the drugs, on the table." She looked at him. "You rattle when you walk Alex. Come on."

Sighing, Alex got up and emptied the contents of her bag onto the desk. There were quite a lot of pill bottles, when she looked at it. It was almost funny. She didn't take them all at the same time – but she liked being prepared...

"Prozac, seroxat, aspririn... Nytol..." George read from the labels. "Hm. I'm not going to refer you Alex – not just yet."

"Why not?"

"You don't need therapy. You need lunch."

- - -

Lunch with George had been nice. It had been a while since they had been able to catch up. Alex regarded George as a friend, but they barely saw each other outside of the observation room, where each of them would offer their professional advice, then leave.

They had talked, at length, over their salads and sandwiches. Alex had been so busy pouring her heart out to George that she hadn't noticed – until he pointed it out to her – that their waitress had been trying to catch her eye all lunchtime.

"Seriously?" Alex had asked, trying to covertly look around the café. She saw the waitress – a pretty, petite redhead – and smiled, and was rewarded with an openly flirtatious grin. "Huh, would you look at that..." She said, looking back at George, who had one eyebrow slightly raised. "What?"

"Alex, you sound surprised that someone would think you attractive... you don't get hit on when you go out?"

"I don't _go _out George, you know that. So, it's nice to be noticed when I do"

The waitress brought the check, looking directly at Alex – and this time, she noticed.

"Here you go" Said the girl, cheerfully, placing the saucer right in front of Alex, and smiling that same flirtatious smile, before moving onto another table. Alex picked up the check, and the slip of paper underneath it. She laughed, softly, showing George the scrap of paper with a phone number hastily scribbled on it.

"You take that, I'll take this" He said, reaching over to the check.

"No way! George, I can't let you pay for my psychiatric consult. Here, swap."

George looked dubiously at the phone number that she thrust into his hand.

"She's not exactly my type Alex, and I think David might be a little put out..." He passed it back to her, and she looked at it for a while.

"I'm too old for phone numbers on scraps of paper" She reflected. The waitress came back over, and Alex handed over the cash for lunch. "I'm sorry, I have a girlfriend" She said, quickly. The waitress shrugged.

"Can't blame a girl for trying! I'll get you a receipt." She smiled, and walked away.

It was only later, back in her office and settling down to work, that Alex realised she had put the phone number in her pocket, where it was quietly burning a hole through the lining, and threatening to slip out.


	7. Seven, 'Demands'

_Shit! I am so so so sorry for not posting this yesterday, I've been really busy and it just flew out of my mind. But no excuses. I'm really sorry – especially as this may not exactly be a very happy chappy... this is where the omnipotence I mentioned in the summary comes in. Cue evil laugh. Anyway, if I forget again (which I will try really hard not to do), please someone send me a message! Ok. Sorry again. Here it is..._

- - -

_Chapter SEVEN – Demands_

"Yep... ok... thank you Mr Culot, we'll be in touch." Olivia snapped her phone shut. "Our 'Thomas' is Thomas Fry, eighth grade. Excels in maths, economics and business studies, quiet type – never in trouble. Oh, and he's not in school today, turn around." She told Fin, who was driving them back to Anderson.

"You got an address?"

"Yeah, 31st and Park – go down Broadway and cut back across, it'll be quicker this time of day."

Wordlessly, Fin swung the car around the Columbus Circle, and pelted down Broadway – almost back the way they had come from the precinct. Olivia rested her arm on the open window; it was hot, the sun was out and it was beginning to feel like summer. Perfect weather for bringing in fourteen year old murderers, she thought to herself, glumly.

"Principal said this kid's _never _been in trouble. He's quiet and kind. Isn't this just... _weird _though?"

"What?" Said Fin, stepping on the gas as the road got clearer.

"How an eighth grader rings up a tenth grader to get rid of a body of a five year old – after she's been raped by god knows how many people."

"Bringing back high school memories?"

"Not exactly." Olivia sighed. "The last time we had a case like this all parties involved were twenty years older... Hold up – I think it's about here..."

"Can I help you?" Asked the doorman to the Frys' apartment building, as they flashed their badges.

"We're looking for the Frys, apartment 216. They in?" Said Fin, hitting the door buzzer for 216.

"No, they're both away on business until tomorrow"

"You know 'em personally?"

"Good tippers. And they've got a nice kid too."

"Thomas? Where's he?" Asked Olivia. The doorman looked at her as if she was being excessively stupid.

"School?"

"If he was, we'd be there." Said Fin, impatiently. "So try again."

The doorman sighed. "There's an arcade on 5th – near the subway at 28th St. But you didn't hear it from me!"

- - -

"Look for a kid who should be in school" Said Fin, as they stepped into the arcade. Olivia surveyed the room.

"They all should be in school."

Placing his hand squarely on the shoulder of a kid crossing the room in front of them, Fin stopped the boy in his tracks.

"You know a kid named Thomas Fry?"

The kid looked confused. Confusion turned to fear when Olivia flashed her badge. The kid pointed to two boys hunched over an electric pinball machine, deep in conversation. One of them looked like the quiet type who would be good at maths; sharp features, short hair and glasses. The other was wearing expensive jeans, a designer shirt and equally flashy shoes.

"Go on, get out of here – get to school." Said Fin, sending the kid away.

"Who's that he's with?" Asked Olivia. Fin shrugged, but before they could get closer, the two boys finished their conversation, and the well dressed one left. Thomas turned his attention to the pinball machine, idly flicking the paddles.

"Need a quarter?" Asked Fin, looming over him.

"Thomas Fry?" Said Olivia, fencing the boy in by coming around his other side.

"Yeah... who are you? What do you want?"

In response, both Olivia and Fin showed their badges. Thomas Fry looked like he might just wet himself.

- - -

"You miranderised him?" Asked Cragen. Fin, Olivia, Alex and the Captain were all assembled in the office, all standing in a line and watching Thomas Fry fiddle with the edge of his t-shirt as he sat waiting in the interview room.

"Sure. The kid may be fourteen, but he'll have seen enough cop shows to know his rights inside and out – including the right to be silent." Replied Fin, stoically.

"And right now he's using it." Added Olivia.

"So we have to wait for his parents and his attorney." Said Alex. "Sorry, but we can't touch him."

"Parents are away on business until tomorrow morning." Sighed Olivia.

Alex narrowed her eyes, thinking hard. "Do we have anything on him apart from Vermani's testimony?" She asked the room, directly catching Olivia's eye as she did so. They all shook their heads. Alex looked back to the glass. "Then we don't have a lot. Any jury is going to see Vermani as the kid who did it and blamed it on someone else. You have to release this Thomas boy."

"He said he was staying with his aunt in Chelsea before he clammed up." Said Fin. Cragen nodded.

"I'll ring her, get the kid picked up. You all get home, we're not going to get much more done today, and I want to start the moment the parents step off the plane tomorrow." He said, walking to his desk and picking up the phone. Alex, Olivia and Fin shuffled out of the office.

Alex had taken two steps into the squad room when she came face to face with Elliot, who was on his way to the Captain's office with some files.

They both froze. Olivia's eyes flickered from one to the other. Neither made a sound. Finally, Alex just stepped away, without saying a word. No apologies – but no arguments either.

"Um, you want to come back to mine tonight?" Said Olivia, finally, into the heavy silence.

"Mm, love to." Responded Alex instantly; the prospect of a long night's _sleep_ in Olivia's arms a very welcoming one indeed. "I need to pick up some stuff from my office. Is your car here?"

"Yeah. I'll drive you."

"Ok – I'll just go to the bathroom... meet you outside."

They smiled at each other, and Alex slipped out. Immediately, Elliot sidled up to Olivia.

"I'm sorry." He grunted, quickly.

"I'll pass it on." She looked at him. "You ok?"

"Yeah, yeah. Fine. See you tomorrow."

- - -

"Christ, what a day..." Groaned Alex, walking in after Olivia and tossing her keys onto the side table. She dropped her bag, and allowed herself to be wrapped up in Olivia's arms. "Elliot was just being a complete _asshole_..."

"Yeah well he said he's sorry" Said Olivia, quickly. She was tired, hungry, and she didn't really want to get into it.

"Not to me he didn't." Replied Alex, shortly. Olivia stepped back.

"But he said it to me, right after you left."

"Well good for you, but he hasn't said two words to me by way of an apology, and, quite frankly, I don't care."

"So what, you're not going to forgive him?" Olivia's tone held barely masked accusation, and Alex could hear it.

"He doesn't need forgiving, he needs to loosen up, to relax – hell, he needs to get laid" Laughed Alex.

"Oh come on Alex!"

"What? The man's uptight as anything, ready to lash out into friend, colleague or suspect, whichever comes first, and usually it's the suspect, which means I have to defend his gung ho attitude in court, and more often or not I have to deal because the confession came only after your partner 'roughed them up' first!" The words were coming out faster than Alex could think about them, and it showed on Olivia's face.

"Well fuck you Alex! What gives you the right to be so self-righteous? You're the clever lawyer and we're the dumb-ass cops, is that it?"

"For fuck's sake Olivia!" Exclaimed Alex right back. "Would I _be _here if I thought you were just a dumb-ass cop?"

"That's what you think of Elliot though, isn't it?"

"Well so far he hasn't proved me wrong."

Olivia shook her head in disbelief. She was getting riled up and angry, and she hated how Alex the lawyer always seemed to win arguments. Mind you, this was their first one, and right now Olivia didn't even care if it was the last too. "What do you _want _Alex, huh? Do you want to make yourself feel better, by slagging off everyone else? Everyone who's beneath you? Is that it?"

"Jesus Olivia! What is wrong with you?"

"Me? _Me? _You started this Alex – not me – YOU!"

"Fine, and I'll finish it." Snapped Alex, picking up her bag and not looking back as she walked out.

No sleep for her tonight then.


	8. Eight, 'Another Morning'

_Ready? Here we go..._

- - -

_Chapter EIGHT – Another Morning_

Olivia woke with a jolt, swore the second she remembered why she was alone, and rolled onto her back. She wondered how it was possible to wake up so angry. Wasn't sleep supposed to bring things back to neutral? Reset your emotions. Otherwise, how exactly were things supposed to be clearer after a night's sleep? Emotions are not clear. They're cloudy as hell.

She swung out of bed, swearing as she walked through her apartment because it made herself feel a fraction better at each word.

After a strong hit of strong coffee, most of the anger had gone, and she just felt guilty for making Alex leave. They had both been tired and irritable, frustrated after the dead lock with Thomas Fry, and they had taken it out on each other in a negative way – as opposed to a positive way.

Like sex.

Damn. Olivia really wished they had gotten over the frustrations of the day that way instead.

But, it couldn't be helped; she would just have to pull Alex over for a quick moment later today, find an empty room, give Alex a swift yet utterly powerful 'I'm sorry' kiss, thus apologising to and forgiving Alex all in one moment.

Olivia took her coffee mug into the bathroom, leaving it in the side next to a line of several other coffee cups she had taken in there and forgotten about.

She stepped out of the shower twenty minutes later, flicking her short, wet hair. Alex loved her hair. She'd run her fingers through it when they lay in bed together, tugging at the shortest bits at the back. Olivia smiled to herself, she couldn't wait to sort things out with Alex – it had been their first lover's tiff – and she couldn't wait to make things up to her – in every possible way...

Halfway through getting dressed there was a knock on the apartment door. Hastily pulling on a shirt, she opened the door to find Alex standing there.

"Hey," She said, surprised, moving back to let Alex in.

Alex silently entered, rubbing the bridge of her nose, like she did when ever she had a headache.

"Hey." Said Alex. Her voice was low, hollow. She sounded like she hadn't slept; and certainly not like she had gone straight home to bath and bed. Images of Alex killing time in bars flashed through Olivia's mind – making her feel _really _guilty.

"Where did you go?" She asked.

Alex sighed. "Is it important?"

Her evasive answer made Olivia's pulse quicken uncomfortably. No, it hadn't mattered before, but with an answer like that, you had to wonder...

It was then that Olivia noticed that Alex might have been wearing the same shirt and suit she had been wearing yesterday – the charcoal grey one that made her hair shine and her eyes send jolts of electricity down Olivia's spine. Right now, different types of jolts were going down Olivia's spine – and not pleasant ones.

Was it the same suit? Olivia racked her brain; what _exactly _had Alex been wearing yesterday? Although she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer...

"...do you mind, Liv?" Alex's words brought her out of a deep train of thought.

"Huh? Sorry, what?"

"If I just take a couple of pills I've left here."

"Sure, sure." The words 'I'm sorry, Alex' were on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't quite say them.

Alex walked past Olivia into the kitchen, pulling a pill bottle from one of the drawers. Olivia watched as Alex took two of the little pink pills – strong headache pills that Alex took whenever she had a _really _bad migraine. She watched as Alex slipped the small bottle into her jacket pocket. She watched as the hand paused in the pocket, coming back out with a scrap of paper. Alex looked at the paper, gave a small laugh – a little smile – and tossed it into the direction of the kitchen trash can. It missed, landing just next to the door, near Olivia, who stooped to pick it up.

She read it.

"What's this?"

"It's just a phone number"

"Who's?"

"The waitress at lunch yesterday. I told her I have a girlfriend." Said Alex, quickly.

"Right." There was a long, long silence. "Get out." Said Olivia, quietly and levelly.

"What?"

"Just get out." Olivia's voice showed no emotion, but her eyes told an entirely different story. Alex stood there, not saying anything, then walked out, past a rigidly still Olivia. Olivia didn't move until after the door had closed, until after she imagined Alex's footsteps down the corridor, imagined them leave her apartment building, imagined them tapping on the street below.

She slid down the wall onto the floor, the piece of paper still clamped in her fingers. Tears formed in her eyes but she held them back, determined. They threatened to spill over, threatened to cascade down her face and collect near her lips.

Yeah, it definitely _was _the same suit.

- - -

"Benson."

"'Livia, we've got the kid, his lawyer, his parents – they're all here" Said Fin. He sounded like he was chewing on his breakfast – not that Olivia noticed. "Come and join the party"

"Two minutes away." She replied, hanging up and tossing the phone onto the passenger seat as she pulled into a parking space.

"Great, and the coffee machine is busted so... 'Livia? Olivia?" Fin put the phone down. "She hung up on me!" He said, to no one in particular.

Elliot looked up. "Who? Olivia?"

"Yeah."

"You want a hand in your case?" Asked Elliot, quietly loathing to call it 'Fin's case' while he sat there, buried in paperwork, tying up loose ends.

"Naw, we got it covered. John back yet?"

"Captain said he called from the hospital – something actually wrong with him this time." Replied Elliot. Fin looked nonplussed.

"No shit!"

"Hey." Said Olivia, coming in and tossing her jacket onto the back of her chair.

"You really were two minutes away!" Beamed Fin, tossing the paper that had been wrapping his breakfast into the trash can. Olivia nodded, once. Elliot looked at her. She looked out of it – like she really _really _had something else on her mind.

"Yeah. Where are they?""

"Captain's office." Said Fin, pointing. "It's like a circus in there."

- - -

"This is all your fault Owen!"

"Are you actually charging my client with anything? He's fourteen for heavens sake!"

"Jesus Barbara will you give it a _rest!_"

"Please _settle down_ – Mr Fry, please take a seat."

The only one not speaking (or shouting) was Thomas, who sat on a chair in the middle, watching the chaos around him. Olivia and Fin opened the door – instantly the arguing stopped and all heads snapped up to look at them. Cragen took advantage of the respite.

"Mr and Mrs Fry, detectives Benson and Tutuola, they're the leads on the case your son is involved in. Now, I would like to speak to Thomas myself – with his attorney present – to try and get to the bottom of this. You can watch through this window here," he said, indicating, "and we can all understand what's going on."

A silence met his words. Finally, Mr and Mrs Fry gave sounds of agreement, and allowed their son to be led into the interview room.

- - -

"Thomas." Started Cragen. "We have a witness who told us that you rung him up and paid him to get rid of a body of a girl." He paused. "You want to explain that to me?"

The kid glanced at his lawyer, who nodded.

"I didn't kill her. Or rape her – that wasn't me."

"Who was it?" Asked Cragen. Thomas looked up from the table. His face read fear. He looked really, really scared. Cragen didn't want to push it. "Ok. The other girls. Sarah Davies from Rye – she was five. Rachel Mason, six years old, Westchester. Laura Armstrong from all the way down near Brighton beach..." He read from the printout – there were more names on the list. "How long has this been going on, Thomas?"

A long silence, Thomas groaned, his head in his hands.

"I knew we'd get caught."

"We? Who's we?"

"I just do the money. I handle the cash, I book train tickets, organise... it's not me though." The kid's voice was pleading, desperate.

"What's he gotten himself into..." Muttered Mr Fry, behind the glass. Olivia searched their faces. They weren't faking. These parents had no idea what was going on with their son.

"Thomas, you _have _to help us out here!" Urged Cragen, leaning forward. "You are in a lot of trouble and, right now, it's all falling on you. All of it."

"Thomas will give a DNA sample, have him eliminated from the rape. He didn't do that – nor did he kill her. His role in the little girl's death is limited." Said the lawyer.

"Well that's great, but unless we get a name right now-"

"Nathan Lore." Said Thomas suddenly, cutting Cragen off. "He's the grade below me at Anderson. We met two years ago, in business studies. He's really smart – does some classes a year ahead. He was always coming up with schemes to make money. This was all his idea, he said we'd get rich, and return the girls after, so everything would be fine. He said... he said they wouldn't understand, so they wouldn't tell. We would just make them promise, give them candy..."

"Who does the kidnapping?"

"He spots them, or we go out and find them. Usually we'll just lure them away, we'll distract the kids with balloons or something. Most day cares get pretty chaotic at the end of the day. The girl who died, Nathan was a tour guide for her parents. He said she was perfect."

"When did it go wrong?" Prompted Cragen, hating himself and his job because he _had to ask_ these questions, he had to delve into the deepest, darkest, most terrible recesses of humanity. This sick, sick story was just one of so many other sick stories.

"On Thursday, after school we brought her to the basement there. It's deserted and blocked off, we sometimes do that because it's so empty after school. A client came-"

"Name?"

"Louis Banville, he's in my class. He paid – 50 – and we left. Then Nathan called me, saying something had gone wrong. I met him there. The girl was dead, Louis said she had started choking, he had tried to save her but it didn't work. Nathan told me to ring this guy, he said it would 'be fixed'. Louis left, Nathan told him to give us enough money to 'take care of things' or else he'd tell. He gave us 520 the next day – all he had been saving for a playstation... Nathan told me to give 300 to the fixer."

There was a hollow silence. Cragen resisted the urge to rub his temple and maybe hit his head on the table a few times.

"We have... seven charges of kidnapping and prostitution to add to the list-" He said, slowly, looking down at the paper in front of him.

"Seven?" Repeated Thomas.

Cragen looked up at him. Behind the glass, Olivia's heart sunk.

"How many, Thomas?" Said Cragen, his voice barely above a whisper.


	9. Nine, 'Unfounded Accusations'

_Chapter NINE – Unfounded Accusations_

Alex was severally fucked off. Her head still hurt like a bitch, she had a fuckload of word to do, and for some inexplicable reason, Olivia had just thrown her out this morning. She had gone there to apologise for fuck's sake! Jesus, _women!_

She let herself into her office, slamming the door behind her – the satisfaction that came from the action quickly gave way to more head pain due to the noise.

And she had – again – forgotten to pick up her fucking keys.

She had realised right after walking out this morning. Three things; pills, keys, apology, and she had managed to forget two thirds of the list.

Still incredibly angry, Alex opened her bottom desk drawer, rifled under the spare stockings and pulled out the spare shirt she kept there for coffee spillage/late night emergencies. She got up to lock her door and close the blinds, then she changed her shirt. The suit would have to do – hopefully no one remembered what she had been wearing yesterday. It was hot; she could get away with not wearing a jacket. And she could ring the owner of her apartment building when she had a moment, and try and get some spare keys. Honestly – what was the use of having a doorman if he can't and doesn't know how to let her into her own apartment?

The door handle to her office twisted. There was a pause on finding it locked, then it rattled again – as if the first time had been a mistake.

Alex unlocked it to find Donnelly standing there, incredulously.

"Alex, why the hell would you lock me out of your office?" she demanded, as if Alex had purposely been keeping her and only her out.

"I was changing my shirt."

Donnelly smirked. "Fun last night then?"

"No. We had a fight and I left my keys at her place, so I had to stay at a hotel." replied Alex, not in the mood for games. Donnelly's face dropped with disappointment.

"Are you serious?"

Alex nodded grimly. It was the unexciting, pathetic, embarrassing truth. Donnelly made a 'hmm...' sound, thinking hard.

"Who is she?"

"I'm not going to tell you Liz." sighed Alex. "What is it?"

"I'm away for a week – alumni dinner at Harvard, some political schmoozing with judges at a few conferences then a little break."

"Well good for you. You're telling me this why?" asked Alex, flatly.

"Just reminding you." Donnelly regarded her for a long while, and Alex got the impression she was being deeply scrutinised. "Swallow your pride Alex." she said, finally. And she wasn't talking about her week off.

- - -

"Left here" said Fin, as they drove to pick up Nathan Lore. Olivia turned left, then frowned.

"Wait, why left?"

"We need to pick up the kid..?" said Fin, confused.

"School's that way" she said, pointing west.

"It's Saturday." Fin looked at Olivia, who mentally kicked herself. "You ok 'Livia?"

Olivia didn't respond – she didn't even seem to notice as she focused on the road. That answered Fin's question.

"Olivia." he said.

"Huh? What's the address?"

"I told you that three times already... you need a vacation. Turn right."

- - -

"This it?" asked Olivia, as they approached a small and neat brownstone building on the east side of the park.

"Yeah." replied Fin, reaching for the buzzer. Before he could get there, the door opened, revealing the same well dressed teenager from the arcade yesterday – the one who had been talking to Thomas Fry. He was even better dressed today, in a well cut suit that made him look like a shorter version of a thirty-year-old businessman. He looked mildly surprised to see them.

"Can I help you?"

"Nathan Lore?" asked Fin, as him and Olivia raised their badges in 'greeting'.

"Yeah. I was just on my way out – why are you looking for me?"

"We're gonna take you down to our station, where you're gonna answer a few questions." said Fin. "Your parents in?"

"What's all this?" (Presumably) Mr Lore came up behind his son, resting his hand on Nathan's shoulder. He was equally smartly dressed. The words 'mini-me' came into Olivia's head.

"You need to accompany your son down to our precinct Mr Lore." she explained. She didn't have the time or patience to debate this much longer.

"Are you planning to arrest him the second he steps outside the front door?"

"We just need to talk to him." said Fin. The truth was, as the kid was under fourteen, they could only arrest him with an arrest warrant and with watertight evidence. The state and the DA's office was very against any wrongful arrest of children, and, unfortunately, the 'he did it!' from another kid who was currently facing the fall didn't qualify as watertight.

"Then you'll need a warrant to take us down to your station. Talk to your ADA and come back later." said the father, promptly closing the door in their faces.

"Think he's a lawyer?" said Olivia, after a moment.

"I'd bet my paycheck on it." replied Fin.

- - -

"Cabot"

"We need an arrest warrant for-"

"Olivia, we need to talk-"

"-Nathan Lore and we need it-"

"-Please Liv, just _talk _to me-"

"-as soon as possible so-"

"OLIVIA!"

Olivia stopped talking. Alex could just about hear her breathing – otherwise she would have put the sudden silence down to Olivia hanging up on her. "Liv. I am really sorry about last night, but please, can we talk about it properly later?"

There was a pause.

"Can you get the warrant or not?" Olivia's tone was absolutely bland and impassive. Alex felt a tightening in her chest.

"What was the name?" she choked out, finally.

"Nathan Lore. He's thirteen."

"Lore?" Alex dropped her pen. "Son of Anthony Lore?"

"Who?"

"Lawyer type?" asked Alex, flicking through the copy of the New York Law Journal on her desk, until she came across the photograph she had been looking for, caption: _Anthony Lore and son, Nathan._

"Could say that."

Alex mentally groaned, leaning back in her chair. "He's one of the best corporate lawyers in the business... Are we sure it's his son?"

"You don't trust me?" asked Olivia, tersely. She was making this personal, and Alex wasn't sure what to say.

"I trust you Olivia. I trust you completely, but if this goes wrong it will go _very _wrong – and I want to be absolutely sure. Trust doesn't stand up in court."

There was a click, and a low hum on the other end of the phone. Alex sighed, and pressed the button to clear the line, and dialled for a judge.

- - -

"Here – but you'd better be right about this one." said Alex, half an hour later, handing the warrant to Fin through her open car window. She had driven this one over to them herself. "Fin, do you think you can handle this, I need to talk to Olivia."

Fin looked at Olivia, and back to Alex. He wasn't about to argue. "Sure."

He walked over to the front door, and Alex indicated for Olivia to join her in the car. Somewhat reluctantly, Olivia walked round to the passenger door, and got in.

Alex leaned her arms on the steering wheel, picking at the leather stitching on it with her fingers. "I'm really sorry Liv, for being so bitchy yesterday. I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?"

"For what, Alex? The argument or the cheating?" asked Olivia, suddenly.

"What?" exclaimed Alex, incredulous – not to mention confused. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Don't, Alex. Don't even try it." And feeling _so much _filthy, dirty, pent-up anger, she got out the car and joined Fin as he miranderised Nathan Lore and put him in the back of the car with his father, leaving Alex sitting in her empty car, still leaning on the steering wheel.


End file.
